Artemis Fowl, The Poison Conspiracy
by ForgottenFairy95
Summary: It's been a week since the time travel incident, and Artemis has just finished creating a new device.Past-Opal is still loose, and Artemis and the People are wary of danger.But what happens when Holly gets kidnapped and Artemis is banned from helping?
1. Prolouge

**Disclaimer: **

**Me: idonotownartemisfowloranyotherofeoin'.**

**Artemis: What? You have to write the disclaimer CORRECTLY Holly!**

**Holly: Who said my name?!**

**Me: *points at Artemis who has an innocent look on my face***

**Holly: *pulls out neutrino* now's a good time to run mudboy...**

**Artemis: *squeals* *runs away***

**Me: Great...now I gotta get another Artemis for my story!**

**Holly: Hold it. *points neutrino at me, right underneath the chin* Say it. NOW.**

**Me: *gulp!* i do notown artemis fowl or any other of eoin's characters. If they were mine arty wld be in my basement rite now doing my laundry.**

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**Prologue**

_Artemis was in a room, similar looking to a cell. _

_"Where am I?" he asked himself._

_Then Artemis heard a piercing scream. It was Holly. He turned around, and saw Holly, lying there, half between conscious and unconsciousness. _

_"Holly! What's happening?"__ he questioned, furiously looking for something, anything, that could help her. She started writhing in pain, gasping as invisible forces started to constrict her lungs. Then, she started to hallucinate. _

_"I hate you, Artemis! You could have saved us! We could have been gone from this damned cell by now!" Artemis was pained from the sight, but more from the words. _

_"It's just a hallucination, she doesn't mean it. It's just a hallucination, she doesn't mean it…" he kept repeating over and over to himself. Artemis so just wanted to lie down next to Holly and die. Then, he heard a faint whisper from Holly that was barely audible. _

_"It's started, Artemis," Holly whispered, her eyes glazed over in pain and fear, her breathing coming out in short, hurtful gasps, "It's too late." And then Holly passed out on the cold metal slab of a bed, located in the basement of none other than Koboi Labs._

Artemis woke up screaming Holly's name, jolting and sweating from the torture. This was the fourth time he had had this dream, but this time it was much lengthier than past ones, and he could hear words this time. Normally the nightmare would come in short parts each night, characters moving their lips soundlessly. Butler burst through the door, already aware of what probably frightened his charge.

"Artemis, what's wrong?" Artemis shook his head.

"It was just that same dream, Butler. Nothing more." But Butler was keen on trying to get the details out of Artemis this time. This was the fourth time this week that that same dream occurred, and the manservant was getting worried for Artemis. Never had he seen him so…so…

"Very well, Butler. I shall tell you." Artemis sighed, motioning for him to sit down in a chair. As Artemis told Butler about his dream, Butler became more and more intrigued by the bounty of details of it. It seemed, to him, more like a 'vision' if nothing else. Artemis agreed. Butler looked at his charge, trying to scrutinize any emotion in his charge's neutral eyes. A flicker of sadness caught his attention, but before he could comprehend it, it was gone. Butler sighed. Artemis knew all too well that if this dream was in fact a vision, he had to tell Holly, at the least. :I need to keep her safe," he whispered more to himself than to Butler.

"I have to make an important call, Butler," Artemis announced. The large bodyguard knew who Artemis was going to contact, so he left, although, obviously, disturbed by the dream Artemis had told him only moments before. Angeline, Artemis's mother, knew about the People now, too. Butler had been telling her of her son's sudden awakenings, and she has been anxious about Artemis's health. Juliet was on tour for a wrestling troupe, and Artemis Senior had taken the twins, Myles and Beckette, to the States. He wanted Angeline to come, but she made it an excuse and a point that she needed some bed rest. So, there were three people inhabiting Fowl Manor. Angeline, Butler, and, of course, Artemis.

Butler walked down the hallway to Angeline and Artemis Senior's bedroom, coming to a stop in front of the door. He knocked, and a soft "come in" was heard on the other side. Butler walked in, glancing around at the magnificent master bedroom. Angeline Fowl was lying on her bed, reading. She looked up, her serene features just visible under the little lighting, a small book lamp.

"How's my little Arty doing?" she questioned, calling her son by his pet-name. "Another dream, though this time more detailed and he could hear," Butler stated. She sat up, clearly interested.

"Was Holly in it, again?" she asked. When Artemis first had told her about Holly, he had put so many details into it that Angeline had a perfect image of her. But when she had asked about Mulch or Foaly, Artemis described them so little that she thought they were just living blobs. But Holly, Holly was different.

"Yes, and, like before, she was being tortured." He answered quietly, while at the same time trying to picture the tough-as-nails female captain writhing in pain on the floor. It was not a good image. The manservant winced, and looked at Angeline, who looked as troubled he had ever seen her.

"Your son is fine," he reassured her, but also himself, "and I will make sure he stays that way." Butler ended, turning to leave.

"Butler?" Angeline started. He paused, one hand on the doorknob,

"Yes?" There was a pause. Then, "Keep Holly safe, please. For Artemis's sake…"she trailed off, letting the message seep in. Butler smirked against his better judgment, "Of course." And with that, he left the room, leaving Angeline alone with her thoughts.

**Artemis's Point of View **

Artemis knew all too well that if this dream was in fact a vision, he had to tell Holly, at the least.

"I need to keep her safe," he whispered more to himself than to Butler.

"I have to make an important call, Butler," Artemis announced. As soon as the door clicked closed behind his bodyguard massive build, Artemis fingered his ring. It was located on his right hand, on his middle finger. But, it wasn't really a ring. It was an old fairy communicator given to him by Holly, and he had disguised it as a ring, for obvious reasons. He twisted the ring, and then used his pinky and thumb to create a makeshift phone. It rang twice, then someone on the other side answered.

"Hello?" "Holly!" Artemis exclaimed, anxious for his friend. Then, he realized he needed to keep his emotions down in case he scared Holly. "Artemis? Why are you calling?"

"No need to chat, Holly," Artemis said, still obviously shaken, "quick, where are you _right now?_" There was a pause, then a sigh.

"What did you do Artemis? And, to answer your question, right now I am on my way to complete the ritual. Why?" Artemis rolled his eyes. Leave it to Holly to disobey orders.

"No time to explain now. Please, complete the ritual then come straight to Fowl Manor. I need to talk to you," he answered, completely ignoring her question. He saw Holly suddenly become confused. Then she shook her head, and said, "Okay, Artemis. But this better be for a good reason. I can't just keep coming over your house for every crisis you create."

Artemis sighed. That was all he needed. "Thank you, Holly," he paused, then mumbled, "be careful." Then he closed the connection, frowning. Had he seemed too worried? Anxious? And, for the first time in a while, Artemis wasn't sure. He always had before. He shook his head, clearing the thought. Now, I need to prepare a room for her arrival, Artemis thought as he, too, left the room.

**Holly's Point of View**

Holly was flying over the harbor, breathing in the salty air, when she heard Foaly's voice in her helmet.

"Holly, are you running low?" Holly sighed. _Always checking up on me._ She twisted her neck to the left, checking how much magic she had left. _I'm low, _she realized. "Yeah Foaly, I need to complete the ritual."

"Okay Holly, I will just let Trubs know." Holly smirked, "Thanks. Bye." Holly terminated the link, and shot off into the starry sky, searching for an ancient oak and a river bend. She turned sharply to the left, now hovering over a vast expanse of green woods. It was a beautiful full moon, and many fairies were making the commune to refuel their magic supplies. Then, Holly felt vibrations coming from her belt. Still in flight, she pulled out the old fairy communicator. It was Artemis.

"Hello?" she answered. "Holly!" Her eyebrows scrunched together in thought. He sounds almost...anxious. Then she asked what she knew Artemis was expecting, "Artemis? Why are you calling?"

"No need to chat," responded Artemis, a little too quickly and his voice sounded…shaky. "Quick," he continued, "where are you _right now?_"

Holly was taken aback by the suddenness of the question, but more of his tone. She had never heard Artemis this scared. Then she sighed, "What did you do Artemis? And, to answer your question, right now I am on my way to complete the ritual. Why?" she could see Artemis rolling his eyes on the screen.

"No time to explain now. Please, complete the ritual then come straight to Fowl Manor. I need to talk to you,"

Talk to me? Holly thought. Now she was _really _confused. She shook her head, and then replied, "Okay, Artemis. But this better be for a good reason. I can't just keep coming over your house for every crisis you create." Artemis sighed from the screen, with a look a pure relief written all over his face. "Thank you, Holly…be careful." Then he cut the connection. Holly sighed, rolling her eyes. Typical Arte-wait. Did he just say 'be careful'? Since when did _he _care about _her_ safety? Holly shook herself, clearing her head. _Now, where is a place that won't have many or no fairies…_Holly smiled, remembering the place where Artemis and she first "met". It is usually quiet there, and Holly wanted to be alone for a bit. She found the old oak, and kicked up her legs, dropping into a steep dive. She had much to think about.

***

Foaly terminated his contact with Holly and got back to work tracking the Past-Opal that had escaped during a retrieval. _I wonder how _our_ Opal is doing, _he thought as he checked her cell cameras. Ever since the escape of Past-Opal, Foaly had tripled the guard on Opal. And every day, he checks up on her. Foaly opened a video link, connecting the live camera feed to it. When he pulled up the video, Opal was lying on the ground in the middle of the floor. And there were absolutely no guards around. But before Foaly called it in to Commander Kelp, he checked Opal Koboi's vitals. They were all flat.

"But…what happened…how?" Foaly muttered to himself, "D'arvit! Commander!" he screamed into the intercom on his desk," Get in here! You have to see this!"

***

Holly sat there, underneath the large oak tree, helmet off, lost in thoughts. Her helmet was under her arm, and when a ping sounded in the helmet to let her know she received an email, she was too lost in thought to hear it. Too bad. Holly would have been out of there within seconds. Little did she know the danger she was in…

_Why am I so upset at Artemis for lying to me? I would have done it, too! Is it trust? Care? ...Or something more? No, you're of two different species, _countered one half of her.

_But I _kissed_ him, _her other half screamed. _It was those damned hormones, _hissed the negative part of her, _you were an adolescence!_

"But what if it wasn't the hormones_," _Holly asked out loud, "What if it was me? What if the real Holly inside had kissed him? Why would I have done that? _Because you…_whispered her subconscious, but Holly was too lost in thought to even hear herself. She shook her head trying clear her mind of Artemis. _I've been doing a lot of that lately. Maybe next time I see him, I will shield and punch him square in the nose. That will do me some justice. _Holly giggled at the thought of Artemis giving her a huge lecture while holding his nose, blocking any blood flow. _See! There I go again, thinking about the mudboy. Maybe I should talk to him…_"for old time's sake."

Holly finished out loud. She jumped at the sound of her own voice, so quiet among the silence of thoughts. She heard a twig snap, and got up to look for an acorn. She found one, leaned down to pick it up, and looked at it between her thumb and index finger. _It's a wonder how something so insignificant could bring so much power_, thought Holly as she stored the acorn in her pocket. She was about to put her helmet back on when she heard laughter from behind. She turned around, but not fast enough to see the person in back of her pulling out a gun and another come up from behind her, grabbing hold of her by the arms, giggling maniacally. One shot, and Holly was on the ground. She tried to see her assailants, but her vision was blurred.

She only heard the words, "Now let's see Artemis try to save her…" Then Holly gave up the struggle, drifting into unconsciousness.

***

Foaly and Commander Trouble Kelp raced down the halls of Howler's Peak, counting each cell number. Opal Koboi's was 999. They needed to reach her, and fast. Once they reached her cell, they immediately activated the seeker-sleeper, incase Opal was faking her death. They flew open the cell door and dropped to their knees. They checked her pulse; nothing. Her breathing; nothing. Opal was either dead, or in a coma. They were so engaged in trying to diagnose Opal's state, neither one of them noticed the dark figure looming overhead. It was armed with a LEP Neutrino 2000, set on stun. Foaly and Commander Kelp heard a familiar giggle emitting from behind them. They turned around, finding a much-younger version of their Opal Koboi.

"Hi, boys! Did you miss me?" And in two shots, Foaly and the Commander were on the ground, and Past-Opal made off with Opal of the present…

***

"Foaly! Wake up, pony!" Foaly groaned. A splitting pain seized his right side, causing him to whinny in pain.

"Oh…wha...what happened?" Foaly was dazed, still a bit stunned by the…well…stun setting on the Neutrino. Trouble Kelp helped the centaur up, scanning the empty cell.

"Did you see who that was?" questioned the Commander. Foaly nodded, unable to speak at the moment.

Trouble sighed,"It was Opal, wasn't it? It was a trap. I should have known." Foaly started to nod, but stopped, then started to violently shake his head, as if trying to shake off a huge bee.

"N…n…no, Trubs. No one could have seen that." Foaly stuttered, regaining his composure. Trouble sighed again.

"Well, all that we can do now is sound the alarm that both Opals are now loose in Haven," the Commander finished. Foaly sighed. _I better warn Holly, _he thought as he raced back to Ops. Booth.

***

"There! Now, send," said Foaly as he clicked the send button on his mail, sending his warning to Holly. Right now she was at the old oak, thinking. _I tagged it red, so she should read it in time; _he thought, mainly just to ensure himself. _I hope Holly is okay…_

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**So.......how was it? please review!! i wnt update til i get...about 8-10 reviews! please review! maybe less if they are honest and truly good(for lack of a better word) reviews. nuthin like: Great! more plz! it drives me up a wall. **

**-ByeBye for now,**

**ForgottenFairy95**

**P.S. My REAL first name is Holly. I know...creepy isn't it!**


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: yeah yeah yeah........idntownartyoranyotherofeoin'samazinglywellthoughtoutcharacters..........ON WITH THE STORY!!**

**Chapter One**

"Artemis Fowl!" screamed Foaly from the laptop on the mudboy's desk, "where is she?"

"Who?" asked Artemis, raising a curious eyebrow. He thought he knew who, but wasn't sure. He wasn't sure about anything right now. Holly hadn't arrived at the Manor, and Artemis was a nervous wreck. What is happening to me? He asked himself, I can't control myself. He was right. And Butler was the first to notice, and immediately informed Angeline. Wrong move. Now she was as anxious as Artemis.

"Who? WHO?!" Foaly was getting increasingly enraged, "you very well do know who! Holly Short!" this was what Artemis had feared. Holly…missing…Artemis leaned back. I have failed. She's gone… 'Ping!' That snapped Artemis, and Foaly, out of their thoughts.

"What was that?" asked Foaly, still a bit testy.

"An email," said Artemis, half to himself. I wonder…no, it would be too much of a coincidence. But, then again, the impossible was possible too, so… 'Ping!' another email. This time, though, it was for Foaly. He looked up Artemis, and they both shared an identical look; frightened, confused, and seemingly unwilling to look at the email contents. But Foaly was more curious than Artemis, as it was he who opened the email first. It was a video.

"Hello, Artemis…" Artemis looked up, immediately interested. He looked the email of his own and deleted it, deciding to just listen to the one already playing. _That voice….it sounds so familiar._ Just then, Artemis's eyes widened._ Oh no…how many times do I have to deal with this megalomaniac? _Seconds after he figured it out, a smallish, round head appeared, complete with black hair, deep brown eyes, and a beautiful, yet dangerous, smirk.

"I assume by now that you have found out from one of your fairy friends that my past self has helped me escape. And that, as of now, Foaly has attempted to tell you what happened to a particular fairy, a red-haired, blue and brown- eyed elf to be exact. I _also_ believe that she is of great importance to you, Fowl." Now she had Artemis hooked. He was also quite a bit red, but only Butler noticed this. He raised an eyebrow, but decided to question his charge about this after.

"I have probably finally achieved your undivided attention," Opal Koboi continued, "So now I will 'fill you in' on what happened to your Miss Short. As you well know, I have a particular grudge on you, Artemis, and I attempt to settle it. How, you may ask? Why, by stealing your only and closest friend! Now, you are probably thinking: _I can just rescue her!_ Well, that is why I have injected her with a poison that will kill her slowly, giving her exactly 14 days to live." Opal finished, with an evil smirk that could _almost_ put Artemis's vampire grin to shame. But Opal had one more surprise, "Oh, and I also know a little secret of yours, _Arty." _

Artemis winced as Opal whispered his pet name that his mother only calls him. Then the screen went blank. _And someone else, too, now_, his thoughts told him, _but what secret?_

Then the penny dropped._ Oh no. Holly didn't. She wouldn't. So then…how? Unless Opal was able to….no, stop thinking that! Holly has two weeks to live, and you need to think of a plan!_ Foaly has been trying to talk to Artemis, but Butler had realized Artemis was arguing with himself, and so told him to keep quiet. After what seemed like a few minutes, Artemis finally snapped back to reality, and Foaly was trying to see what Artemis's reactions were. For a few moments, he thought he saw a flicker of a new emotion he thought he had seen before, but could not remember it.

"What was that about, Artemis?" questioned Foaly, eyeing him suspiciously. Artemis shook his head, replying, "I'm not sure…" he trailed off. Foaly didn't believe the boy, but let it go. He could tell Artemis was trying to keep his face composed.

"I have to alert the Council," Foaly sighed. This would be trouble…

A new email popped up on Foaly's computer, ten minutes after Foaly had told them about Holly's capture. It said: Artemis Fowl and the Captain Holly Short Situation. It read:

Foaly,

The Council has decided that for the safety of the People, Artemis Fowl or any other humans involved with the People are forbidden to become involved with the situation at hand. Please inform Mr. Fowl as soon as you can.

Council

_Uh oh. Artemis is not going to like this…_"Hey, Mudboy! I have an email from the Council for you. I will forward it to you then I have to leave you to your business. I have a Miss Short to track!"

Artemis sighed, "That's fine, Foaly. Thank you for telling me about Holly."

"You are welcome" finished Foaly, and with that he terminated the link._ I wonder what the Council has to say to me. _Artemis read the email, and then sank back in his chair with a melodramatic sigh.

Butler noticed this, and asked, "Something wrong?" He can tell when Artemis is upset, and this was one of those times.

"No…" Artemis started. Then, realization of the entire situation hit him like a heavy weight. His eyes widened and he tried to speak, but a curious lump had appeared in his throat. He managed to croak out, "Please leave me, Butler," before becoming completely choked up.

Butler raised an eyebrow; he has never seen Artemis this distraught. He walked out of the room, thoughts swirling around his head. Artemis needed to be alone; he needed to think. Butler had realized what had happened, but he took a glance at the email to confirm his suspicions before he left the room. He was right; the Council did not want Artemis interfering with Holly's kidnapping._ She is his best friend…he must be going through a lot…_then another thought popped into his mind. _Wait…what if…no…he doesn't…after all they are of different species. But still…after all they've been through? _

Then Butler had remembered that night, after Artemis's last episode with the People when his mother had gotten sick and Artemis had to go back in time to save a lemur. He was going about on his nightly rounds, only to pass by Artemis's room. He first heard moaning, then gleeful laughter emitting from the boy. Artemis shouted Holly's name and when Butler peered in, Artemis had the goofiest smile he had ever seen on his face. That was when Butler first started thinking that maybe Artemis left something out when he told him about the adventure. He figured that something must have happened between Artemis and Holly; something that Artemis did not like to talk about. But whenever he did bring it up, Artemis reached up and felt his lips, as if a tingle was there, remembering what happened, eight years ago…

***

_Artemis looked up at Holly with a grateful and sincere smile. "Holly, you saved me again," "Of course I saved you," sobbed Holly, "I couldn't do without you." And because Holly was happy and flushed with magic, she leaned down and kissed Artemis, magic sparking around the contact like tiny fireworks…_

Artemis kept recalling the same memory, over and over again. And every time, he felt a phantom tingle of where Holly had kissed him. amazing what people can do to you...I'm crying! Over another person! Holly! New tears started to pool in his eyes as he thought of his best friend. _She was my first friend, too, _he realized, _and all I have ever done is harm her._ Then he remembered what happened in the gorilla cage. Again. _And now she only has fourteen days left to live._ Artemis gave up the strain of fighting back his tears and let them spill down his cheeks, staining his suit.

"I must be strong," he whispered fiercely to himself, "for Holly…"

***

Captain Holly Short awoke, shivering in the dark. _Did I forget to turn off the air conditioner off last night? _And then she felt beneath her. It was a cold stone slab…Holly sat up straight, confused. She hit her head against something. It was the…_ceiling?_

"Where am I?" she asked to no one in particular. Holly felt around for a light, but when she found one and turned it on, she regretted even asking herself where she was in the first place. Holly was being held in one of the smallest rooms her abductor, _or abductors_, could find. _Or maybe I am in a metal box,_ she thought. Oh, how right she was.

Holly tried to keep her phobia from getting out of hand, but it was too much. She started to hyperventilate, start to sob, and start to whimper. This continued for a minute or two, but no longer because before Holly completely lost it, she heard twin giggles coming out of thin air. _Two people?_ Then, Holly calmed down enough to sigh. She didn't have herself under complete control, but enough to register the laughter's owners. Oh great, now we have two vain maniacs on the loose! _How come Foaly didn't warn me about this?_ She wondered, not knowing that he had.

"Oh poor captain," whined a voice, full of fake pity. Holly sighed again. Yeah, she was right. "What do you want, Opals?" More giggles. "Oh nothing. Just revenge on my, *ahem* _our_, two favorite enemies."

***

Butler was downstairs, making breakfast, when Artemis walked in. He had his suit still on from last night, ruffled with sleep, stained with tears. As was his face tear-stained, and he had dark circles under his eyes. He looked horrible.

_He probably feels horrible, _Butler thought_, he must have been up all night! _

"How are you feeling?" Artemis tried to smile, but his eyes gave everything away. He looked so depressed, Butler had to look away or _he_ would start crying. "Never mind," blurted Butler.

_I have to find out what happened. If I understand how close they are, maybe I could help._ He figured he should try subtly first. "Is there anything you want to tell me about you and...Holly?" Butler swore under his breath. _Oh yes, so subtle! _

"Artemis, please, I know you have been hiding something. But you can't hide it much longer! Just tell me. You _know _you can trust me…" Artemis looked up at his old friend and then hung his head shamefully.

"Yes, you are right old friend. I have told you every bit of what happened. Well, except one thing…" Artemis sighed, his breath ragged from holding back tears, "Holly, she…she kis…" Butler's eyebrows shot up as he registered what his young charge was trying to tell him. Artemis couldn't hold back his tears anymore, and he put his head in his hands, faint sobs coming from him, grave and distraught…

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**So wat'd ya think? updates? _REVIEWS?! _Frond i hope so......**

**I was nice last time......lets raise those reviews to a higher number....13? **

**hehe.......ma lucky numba. anyways, ForgottenFairy95, OUT!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Oh my gosh I am soooooooooo sosososo SOOOOOOOO sorry that I've kept you guys waiting for so long!!! I'm so mad at myself now!! grrrrrrrr!!! I just had a really bad case of writers block, and with school and everything....it's just so bad! ugh! im in all honors classes too which DOES NOT HELP!! anyways, thanks guys soooooo much for staying and waiting for a writer who can't evn update her own stories! i love you all! free virtual cookies for eveyone who reviewed! and even those who didn't!**

***reviewer takes a cookie from a pile that says 'non-reviewers only'***

**Holly(me): NOOOOO! don't eat those!**

**reviwer: why?**

**Holly: *shrugs***

***in the background a non-reviewer takes a cookie from their pile and start to choke and turn purple.***

**Holly: hehehe...**

**reviewer: *puts cookie down, and slowly backs away from pile, walks over to the 'reviewer pile' and eats a safe, harmless, non-poisoned cookie.***

**AAAAAAAAANYWAYS...**

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own Artemis, Holly(well actually, i kinda do, its ma name), or any othr of eoin magnificent creations! *gets teary-eyed***

**

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**Chapter Two**

Holly awoke, immediately opening her eyes to see if everything that happened last night had been a dream. It wasn't. But something had changed. Holly was now in a room that was at least five times the size of the metal box she was first placed in.

_Why am I in here?_ She wondered, scanning the room. It had two beds, bunk bed style.

_But why two?_ Holly was getting confused, _again. _There was also a table and chair on one side of the room. On the table there was a notepad and pencil.

_What is that for?_

"It is there for writing," answered one of the Opals, the Past-Opal to be exact. "You might as well spill any secrets you have; you only have thirteen days to live anyways," Past-Opal added.

"Thirteen days!" Holly screeched, "How is that?"

Present-Opal giggled,"Oh silly me," she said, "I forgot to tell you. We injected three milliliters of Deathbed into you," she finished with an evil smirk.

Holly paled. _Oh no. I thought that concoction was banned years ago! But then again, the Opals probably just hacked into the Council's files and stole the recipe._

The Deathbed Shot is a vile poison, created with the most poisonous mushrooms, venoms, and anything else that can crash your entire body system. Also, the poison included another ingredient, but no one had ever said the addition out loud. The poison is able to give the victim no pain but its own grief of death and then, on the last day, the poison shuts down each organ, slowly and extremely painfully. It is worse than animal fat and holy water mixed together! The length of the poison depended on the amount given to the victim.

"That was enough to give you fourteen days to live," Opal sneered, "and you have already wasted a day."

***

Artemis looked up at Butler, eyes confused and sad. His throat was constricting from the effort of slowing his tears.

"What?" he was able to choke out. Butler swallowed, then said, "I asked: 'How lo-,"

"I know what you said!" Artemis snapped, "What do you _mean_?" Butler sighed.

"You _know_ what I mean, Artemis," he began, "you always have."

Artemis took in a deep breath, as if someone just let go of his throat trying to strangle him. "No. I don't." he lied pitifully. Butler slowly shook his head, trying to think of a way to get Artemis to tell him.

_I could try to force it out of him, _he thought, then mentally slapped himself. _Stop it! This is getting way out of hand. _"You're right," Butler admitted solemnly.

_It's the only way… _"Maybe I should explain."

Artemis raised an eyebrow. _What is he playing at?_ He thought, _he surely knows I'm lying. _And then: _Artemis!_ "Huh?" Artemis started.

_That was weird. But…that wasn't me. Then, who was it?_

"Butler?" Butler snapped out of his little daze thinking of a plan, "What is it?"

"Did you hear someone or something calling my name?" Now it was Butler's turn to raise an eyebrow, "Uh, no, I didn't. Did you?"

"I thought I did" Artemis said neutrally, half of him in thoughts, trying to decipher whose voice that was. _It almost sounded like… _

"Holly!" he finished out loud.

"Holly what?" asked Butler, still confused.

"It was her! Holly just communicated with me!" Artemis concluded excitedly. He looked up at his old bodyguard and friend, and frowned.

Butler was shaking his head, as if Artemis had gone crazy. Then Butler looked up and said, "No one called you, Artemis. Especially Holly. You must be hearing things."

"But-" Artemis started, but was interrupted with another thought. _Artemis! I'm sorry! I know you can't hear me but…_

"But what?" Artemis screamed out loud, now sure he was hearing Holly.

_But not out loud, _he thought, _because Butler can't hear her. But I can…why can I only hear her? _Then it clicked.

"_Of cour-" _he started, but was interrupted by the ringing of a…ring. Artemis's fairy communicator was ringing. He checked it.

It was Foaly. Artemis twisted the ring, and then made his thumb and pinky into the shaped of a make-believe telephone.

"Hello Foaly." He greeted.

"Hi Artemis," returning the gesture, "I have another email from the Council. They wanted you to get it, but they also wanted to let me know. Shall I send it to you, or tell you?"

Artemis thought about this for a few seconds, but then finally said:

"Tell."

***

_Artemis_! Holly screamed into her mind, thinking of him for the fiftieth time today.

"I have to stop doing that," she stated plainly, knowing that that will never happen. So she figured that maybe she should start thinking up an apology if she ever saw Artemis again, dead or alive.

_Artemis! I'm sorry! I know you can't hear me but… _"I forgive you. And I…I…"Holly stopped, interrupted with a new thought.

_\Wait. Why am I even thinking of an apology? He should be the one apologizing! He was the one who manipulated me! _Holly was furious at herself now for thinking such a thing.

_He didn't mean it…I would have done the same for my mother. _She looked up at the camera.

"Come out, Opal. You can't hide away forever!" she screamed into the open air.

_What am I doing?_ But she continued to scream. After all, what else could she do?

"How many more days now, Koboi, do I have?" she stopped herself. A slight creaking came from one wall. Then a door flew open, showing two _almost_ identical Opal Kobois, both dressed in the same catsuits. Both were armed with the latest Koboi weapons and grinning maniacally. The human Opal stepped forward, cocking her neutrino.

"You have eleven days left, Short. Best not waste them," gesturing to the table and on it, the pencil and pad of paper.

"Okay, Koboi. I give up. What is your reason to capture me?" Holly inquired. She was very capable of coming up with plenty of possible conclusions, but Holly was naturally curious, and so, she asked anyways. Both Opals lost their grins, and conversed quietly, before seeming to come to an agreed conclusion.

"Oh very well, Captain," the past, still pixie Opal started, "After all, isn't that what most kidnappers do?" Opal paused, as if waiting for an answer. But Holly knew better.

Seeing the captain's expressionless face, and the fact that she made no move to answer her question, past-Opal sighed and explained their _perfect_ plan.

"You see, your present-day Opal and I have come up with an exceptionally good plan. We have seen, from past attempts at revenge and taking over the world, how close you and that mudboy have gotten. We even found out a few secrets of yours, of course using truth serum." Holly instinctively pulled up her sleeve, seeing a small blemish where the needle must have been. "D'arvit," she muttered. If the scar was there, that meant she had the last of her bit of magic drained somehow by her not-so-gentle kidnappers. That means no magic left for a Mesmer.

Present-Opal cleared her throat, clearly wanting to be given full attention by Holly. And, of course, Holly refused her unspoken wish. As Holly continued to look anywhere but Opal's face, she sighed and took off where her past-self had stopped.

"We know about the kiss," at this Holly paled, "and we suspect this could be used to easily get the Council to exile you." She finished with a dangerous smirk.

"Anyways, we have already sent a message to Fowl and Foaly, and we've expected the Council to find out about your capture, and also to not allow Fowl to be incorporated with your rescue. But, being the genius he _thinks_ he is, he will still attempt a rescue. And fail. We will capture him as well, and throw him in the same cell as you. But that is as much as we've allowed ourselves to share with you for now, so," at this, Present-Opal cocked her gun, "_goodnight._"

And with those departing words, Present-Opal sent a charge into Holly's chest, knocking her out cold.

***

Artemis sat, engulfed in darkness of his study the only light coming from the computer. The soft glow emitting from the screen made his usually pale skin an eerie white. He was trying to figure out what Deathbed was, but also attempting to get the earlier conversation out of his head.

**Flashback: **

**"Tell." **

**Foaly sighed. "I feared you would say that…" he looked around, obviously nervous about Holly's current situation. **

"**The Council wants to warn you, to further prevent you or discourage you from helping Holly, that all LEP officers, no matter what their rank, have permission to shoot you, perhaps kill. You may even be mindwiped, if the chance arises; which **_**it won't.**_**" said Foaly, with an edge in his voice.**

"**I need you to keep your memories. I'm putting all my faith in your plan." **

_**He already thinks I have a plan, **_**Artemis thought. **

"**It seems like they don't like you Artemis, even after all that you've done to help us." Foaly stated, clearly wistful. **

"**Yes, they certainly have 'jumped', so to speak, at the chance to rob me of my presence in their lives." Artemis finished, none too impressed at all. **

**Foaly was fazed by the boy's calmness in receiving this death-threat. So real it **_**had**_** to be forced. But who knew, with Artemis. And Foaly brushed it aside, thinking nothing of it.**

**Artemis's cool, calm composure on the outside was ice to the heated thoughts racing in his mind. Calculations and emotions swirled around, bouncing off the boundaries of his mental capacity (A/N: Which is**_** quite**_** big, ha-ha):**

'**I can overcome this!'**

'_**No, you can't! Your life is in danger!'**_

'**HOLLY'S life is danger!'**

'_**Save myself!'**_

'**Save her!'**

**This constant inner banter weakened and troubled the young genius, who was used to clear and composed thoughts, unlike the incomplete and incomprehensive ones screaming in his skull. **

**End Flashback.**

His fingers, once a blur, stopped abruptly, remembering something else.

Amongst those racing thoughts, there was one thought that had stayed plastered to Artemis's brain, never unfinished, never being rushed, always repeating: 'Is my life truly as revered as hers?'

'No. Not even close.'

* * *

**Wootwoot! Sry its so short, i will be sure to make the others much longer........and better. i hate this chapter. and hopefully i will be able to update more frequently now that ive settled into high-school life. **

**see ya laters,**

**-ForgottenFairy95**

**p.s. if you've got any question pertaining to the story or my chosen name....or anything in general, just ask! email me or if you want the question publicized(kind-of)just put it in ur review. i am always open to suggestions, too!**

**Bye!**


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